Liberty’s fall sports are officially underway all over campus, and we will provide weekly updates on all of the teams throughout the semester.
CROSS COUNTRY
For the second meet in a row, Allie Zealand set a program record and led her team to a ninth overall finish at Friday’s Pre-National Invitational. Zealand’s first 6K of the season resulted in a program-record 19:40.4 for fifth place. Meanwhile, the Flames produced a 21st place men’s team showing at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course. The Lady Flames totaled 325 points for ninth place of 38 women’s teams, including second to Clemson among Southeast Region squads. Zealand took down one of Calli Doan’s program records, shaving 10 seconds off Doan’s 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida. Nicholas Kiprotich came in 71st in the men’s 8K in 24:22.2, leading the Flames to a 21st place finish out of 31 men’s teams.
Freshman Eden Alexander led the way for Liberty at Saturday’s Roanoke XC Invitational, placing seventh in the women’s 6K at Green Hill Park. In the men’s 8K, freshman Caden Ellis finished 32nd of 239 runners.
The Liberty men’s and women’s squads will attempt to defend their team titles at the CUSA Cross Country Championships on Nov. 1. The meet will take place at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama, with the women’s 6K slated for 10 a.m. Eastern and the men’s 8K to follow at 11 a.m.
#7 FIELD HOCKEY (12-2, 5-0 Big East)
On Friday, Liberty scored two fourth quarter goals to earn a 2-0 shutout win over Providence, securing a spot in the 2025 Big East Field Hockey Championship for a 10th straight season. All five of the Lady Flames’ conference victories have been by shutout. Tori Griffiths and Lou Combrinck provided the goals in the fourth quarter for the home side.
Liberty converted on a pair of penalty corners right before halftime, propelling the Lady Flames to a 2-1 victory over Saint Joseph’s on Sunday afternoon at Liberty Field Hockey Field. The pair of penalty corner goals came from Julieta Tornati and Josefina Tomasi, at the 29th and 30th minute just before halftime. Tornati’s goal was h er third of the year and Tomasi’s was her fourth.
Liberty will return to action on Friday afternoon against Big East opponent Temple in Philadelphia at 3 p.m. before heading to Farmville to take on Longwood on Sunday at noon.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (10-3-4, 5-0-2 CUSA)
Liberty clinched an unbeaten road regular season with a 2-0 win at Delaware on Sunday afternoon. The victory also held Liberty’s seat atop the CUSA standings with one game remaining. Since 2023, the Lady Flames are 22-0-5 on the road in the regular season. The Lady Flames picked up their fifth consecutive victory on Sunday, all wins coming in CUSA action. Ivy Garner opened the scoring in the 47th minute following a scoreless first half. The score pushed her league-leading total to nine goals and 24 points this season. Lauren Littleton scored her first career goal in the 58th minute for the second Liberty goal of the day.
The Lady Flames conclude the regular season this week hosting Sam Houston on Sunday at 1 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER (7-3-5, 3-1-3 OVC)
Liberty played Eastern Illinois to a 2-2 tie on Thursday afternoon. Midfielder Spencer Moler scored his first goal of the season to knot the contest at 1-1 late in the first half, and forward Zach Lifferth, Liberty’s leading scorer, netted his eighth goal of the year early in the second half to temporarily give Liberty the 2-1 advantage.
On Sunday, Liberty played Western Illinois to a 1-1 tie. Forward Leo Conneh gave Liberty a 1-0 lead with a goal late in the first half, only to see Western Illinois midfielder Benjamin Graham score off a deflected save of a penalty kick during the 81st minute to salvage a tie.
This week, Liberty continues OVC play, hosting SIUE at Osborne Stadium on Saturday at 2 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL (16-5, 4-4 CUSA)
Liberty lost to Middle Tennessee in five sets in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Friday before bouncing back to defeat the Blue Raiders in five sets on Saturday as the Lady Flames remain .500 in conference play.
This week, Liberty hosts FIU on Friday night at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.
